Devlin joins EL housing inspectors
Trending
EAST LIVERPOOL -- Salineville Police Chief Matt Devlin is joining the East Liverpool City Health District as a housing inspector. The health board unanimously approved of hiring Devlin at their Feb. 16 meeting. He was also recommended strongly for the role by housing inspector Amy Toot.
As he prepares to join East Liverpool's battle against blight, Devlin said the plan is for the health district and the housing inspectors to have a big year. ‘That's the goal,’ he said. ‘That's why they hired me.''
Back in January, housing inspector Kayla Crowl told the health board that she estimates that within the next six months, as many as 60 dilapidated homes could be demolished in an increased push to clean up East Liverpool. Devlin said it could be even more now that they have him coming on as a third inspector.
"There will be some challenges and there's going to be a learning curve, but certainly I'm more than capable and more than willing to learn," Devlin said. "And I think because I'm still trainable that I'll be successful there."
One challenge may be the possibility of East Liverpool choosing to condense their court with the rest of the county. "I think that will be challenging for the city," Devlin said. "I feel like it's one stop shop. You're able to have the relationship with the prosecutor that's in the same building as the courthouse. Now if you have to go across town, you're still going to have the relationship but I don't know that it'll be as close."
Devlin grew up in Summit County in the city of Green. He attended school there from grade school through graduation. He still has family there today.
"Right out of the gate I got a job. I graduated from high school then I went on and to get a job with DuPont. I was working in a research and development lab with polymer plastics" Devlin said it was a great technician role that paid well, sent him to the University of Akron and afforded him opportunities to interact with interesting people from all over the world. But he said it didn't fulfill him. "It was boring," Devlin said."It wasn't fun. It was an interesting job, but I wasn't fulfilled at all." He said he stayed there for about five years.
He said he had another dream. He said his family always told him that he said he wanted to be a police officer since he was four, but some people had advised him against it. "I remember other police officers telling me that I couldn't do it or I shouldn't," he said. "But I knew that I always wanted to do it, since I was four, and I actually got to do it."
Devlin said he worked for a few agencies then he ended up getting hired by First Merit Bank as a police investigator, covering Canton through Columbus, investigating financial crimes. He said that in his spare time, he was training a police dog, a German shepherd. The two even competed and did quite well.
"I was part time at some other department and couldn't get the canine program off the ground.'" Devlin said. "The chief here found out I had a dog at the time, called me and said I heard you are looking for a part time job."
Ultimately, he decided to come to Salineville and take the job as a K-9 officer handler part time. He said his time working with his dog was fantastic, but sadly, she passed away. "It was probably one of the tougher things I ever had to go through, but it happens," Devlin said.
Devlin ended up getting promoted to police chief of Salineville before the age of 40, a goal he had set for himself during his training days.
He said he loves his job as chief. "I can't tell you how proud I am to put on a uniform and serve the village because there's great people here, fantastic people," Devlin said.
Devlin said Salineville has entertained the idea of keeping him on part time as police chief. He said the department will still be taking care of the village as always.
"Me leaving is not going to affect the way the police department here is run," he said. "We're still going to be able to get the job done."
Looking forward, Devlin said he plans to deliver for East Liverpool in terms of their goals for 2022.
"I'm excited that the city gave me an opportunity to interview with them and gave me an opportunity to come work for them," Devlin said. "I'll do them right. I'll do a great job for them. They have some goals and I will certainly make sure they deliver on those goals if I have anything to say about it."
llehman@mojonews.com